Pasta · 60 minutes

Italian penicillin soup

Name: Italian penicillin soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 yellow or white onion, peeled; 4 to 5 carrots; 4 to 5 celery stalks; 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 8 cups chicken bone broth (two 32 oz packages); Optional: chicken bone broth powder (I used Nutra Organics); Small pasta, about 8 oz for 4 servings (I used ditalini, but pastina like stelline or acini di pepe is traditional); Salt and pepper, to taste

By Frida Sofia60 min totalServes 4 servings

PrintPin It

↓ Jump to Recipe

Once the weather turns cool, this is the soup I make on repeat. Pastina soup is cozy, simple, and delicious! There's a reason people call it Italian penicillin.

The base is just onion, carrots, celery, and garlic simmered in bone broth, then blended until silky and golden. I use bone broth instead of regular stock for the extra protein and nutrients, so it actually keeps you full. When I'm feeling under the weather, this is the first thing I want. It's filling, warming, and gives you a little nutrient boost when you need it most.

My favorite part? You can make a big batch of the blended broth and freeze it. On a busy weeknight, just thaw a portion, cook some pasta, and dinner is on the table in about 15 minutes. It's the kind of recipe that makes fall weeks so much easier.

Why You'll Love This

•Only a handful of ingredients. Simple pantry staples you probably already have.
•Freezer friendly. Make a big batch of the broth and have dinner ready all week.
•Perfect for sick days. Gentle, warming, and easy to eat when you're not feeling well.
•Packed with protein. Bone broth makes it filling and nourishing.

Ingredients

Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.

This classic combo is the flavor base of the soup and gives it that golden color and natural sweetness once blended. No need to peel the carrots or celery if they're organic, just trim the ends. Feel free to swap in a shallot for the onion, or add butternut squash or sweet potato for an even creamier fall version.

Bone broth

The star! Bone broth has more protein and nutrients than regular stock and gives the soup a richer body. I use chicken, but beef bone broth or vegetable broth (for a vegetarian version) also work.

Bone broth powder

I stir in a scoop of chicken bone broth powder for an extra protein and flavor boost. It's totally optional. A spoonful of bouillon paste or a parmesan rind simmered in the pot are good alternatives.

Pasta

Traditionally this soup is made with pastina, like stelline (tiny stars) or acini di pepe. I used ditalini because that's what I had, and it's just as good. Orzo, small shells, or gluten free pasta all work too.

Storage

Fridge: Store the soup and pasta in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. Keeping them apart stops the pasta from getting soft and soaking up the broth.
Freezer: The blended broth freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Portion it into freezer safe containers or bags, leaving a little room at the top since liquid expands. Freeze the soup without pasta and cook fresh pasta when you're ready to eat.

Related Recipes

40 min

Pasta

Tortellini Soup

55 min

Soups

Comfort Chicken Soup

1.1 hrs

Chicken

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

45 min

Main Dishes

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

45 min

Chicken

Dumpling Soup

45 min

Pasta

Baked Ziti Soup

40 min

Main Dishes

One Pot Cheddar Chicken Sausage Stew

30 min

Soups

Vodka Sauce Soup

35 min

Soups

Potato sausage soup

30 min

Pasta

Fettuchine Alfredo Soup

40 min

Soups

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

35 min

Soups

White Chicken Chili

Italian penicillin soup

10 min

PREP

50 min

COOK

60 min

TOTAL

4 servings

SERVINGS

Ingredients

Instructions

1
Slice the onion into pieces. Cut the ends off the carrots and celery. No need to peel them, especially if they're organic, but peel if you prefer. Peel the garlic.
2
Add all the vegetables to a pot with the bone broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are easy to pierce.
3
While the soup simmers, cook the pasta in a separate pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
4
Transfer the vegetables to a blender with 1 or 2 cups of the broth. Blend until smooth, then pour back into the pot and stir.
5
Stir over low heat for a few minutes. Add the bone broth powder now if using. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
6
Add pasta to bowls and ladle the soup over the top.